Northern Ireland faced a tough challenge in Copenhagen on Saturday evening, June 7, 2025, as they narrowly lost 2-1 to Denmark in an international friendly at the Parken Stadium. Despite an encouraging start that saw them take the lead through a rare own goal, the young Northern Ireland squad ultimately fell to a late comeback led by Denmark’s Christian Eriksen, who netted his 45th international goal.
The match began with a surprising twist just six minutes in. Northern Ireland’s pressure during a corner forced a poor clearance from Denmark’s 18-year-old debutant Lucas Høgsberg. Crystal Palace’s Justin Devenny intercepted the ball and delivered a dangerous cross that deflected off Joachim Andersen before Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, under pressure from Shea Charles, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net. This gave Michael O’Neill’s side an early 1-0 lead, much to the delight of the Northern Ireland contingent.
However, Denmark, a team boasting considerable World Cup qualifying experience and quality, soon found their rhythm. Gustav Isaksen emerged as Denmark’s most potent attacking threat, showing skillful trickery and pace on the wings. Although he was caught out for a dive in a foot race with Northern Ireland captain Trai Hume, Isaksen’s influence grew as the first half progressed.
The visitors’ defense, marshaled by Daniel Ballard with a commanding performance, held firm for much of the half. Ballard, who earned an 8 out of 10 rating, was instrumental in clearing numerous dangerous crosses. Trai Hume and Ruairi McConville also contributed solid defensive work, with Hume leading by example as captain. Yet, Denmark’s persistence paid off in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Isaksen, drifting into a central position, was found by Brentford’s Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the box. Isaksen curled a precise shot around Hume into the bottom corner, leveling the score at 1-1 just before the break.
Northern Ireland’s goalkeeper Conor Hazard, who had been solid until then, was forced off at halftime due to an injury sustained in a collision with Denmark’s Rasmus Højlund. Pierce Charles came on to replace him and quickly showed his mettle with a series of important saves, including a smart stop from Christian Nørgaard’s header and a late double save from Mathias Kvistgaarden and Morten Hjulmand. His efforts kept Northern Ireland in the contest during a period when Denmark were applying intense pressure.
Despite the setback in goal, Northern Ireland’s young side, with an average age of just 23.4, continued to battle hard. Michael O’Neill made seven changes from their previous heavy 5-1 defeat in Sweden, bringing back players such as Conor Bradley, Trai Hume, and Daniel Ballard, while Justin Devenny impressed with his energetic first-half performance, earning a 7 rating and providing the assist for the own goal.
The second half saw Denmark gradually take control of the game. Northern Ireland struggled to maintain their attacking threat, with Isaac Price, who played the full 90 minutes, having a quiet night and Dion Charles, despite working hard upfront, often isolated. Conor Bradley and Shea Charles showed glimpses of creativity and effort, but the visitors found it difficult to break through the Danish defense consistently.
Denmark’s breakthrough came midway through the second half. A low cross from Isaksen was deflected by both Hume and Ballard, allowing Christian Eriksen to ghost away from Shea Charles and slot home the winner. Eriksen’s goal, his 45th for Denmark, proved decisive, putting the hosts ahead 2-1 and setting the tone for the remainder of the match.
From there, Denmark continued to press, with Mika Biereth nearly adding a third before being ruled offside. Northern Ireland’s defense, led by Ballard and Hume, made crucial goal-line blocks to deny further Danish chances, but the visitors were unable to find an equalizer despite late efforts.
Michael O’Neill’s squad showed resilience and improvement defensively compared to their earlier heavy defeat in Sweden. The experience gained from facing a top-level side like Denmark will be invaluable as Northern Ireland prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins in Luxembourg this September.
Looking ahead, Northern Ireland will host Iceland in Belfast for another friendly on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. This match presents another opportunity for O’Neill’s young squad to build cohesion and sharpen their tactics ahead of the qualifiers.
Player ratings for Northern Ireland reflected a mix of solid defensive displays and quieter moments in attack. Conor Hazard earned a 6 before his injury, with Pierce Charles stepping up admirably with a 7 rating. Defenders Ruairi McConville (7), Daniel Ballard (8), and Trai Hume (7) were standout performers. Midfielders Justin Devenny (7) and Shea Charles (7) showed promise, while Isaac Price (6) and Dion Charles (6) had more subdued nights. Substitutes like Jamie Donley and Paul Smyth contributed after coming on, but the team ultimately fell short against a strong Denmark side.
In all, the friendly at Parken Stadium was a hard-fought encounter that saw Northern Ireland briefly take the lead through an own goal before Denmark’s quality and experience prevailed. Christian Eriksen’s winning strike highlighted his enduring class on the international stage, while Northern Ireland’s young squad gained valuable lessons to carry forward into their competitive fixtures.
